This letter is in response to Lisa Granik’s op-ed in the New York Times’ Sunday edition. Dear Ms. Granik, After reading your op-ed over the weekend, I have two words for you: Thank you. That’s right, I’m thanking you even though I’m sure that by now you’ve received plenty of emails and calls from those in the Long Island wine industry, telling you that you’re wrong, misguided and misinformed — and you are in much of what you say — but I still think it’s great that your words were printed in the New York Times. The best way for…
American Wine Blog Awards: Nominate LENNDEVOURS
I’ve been remiss in not mentioning Tom Wark’s (of Fermentation) American Wine Blog Awards before now. Every other blogging community has a set of awards and I can think of no better creator than Tom. It’s going to be great to see some of my favorite bloggers winning awards for all of their hard work. I’m even more excited about it because there is one category that I think I have a chance in: Best Single-Subject Wine Blog. I don’t pay attention to many awards because this blog is so focused on New York wines. But, in this category, I…
WTN: Martha Clara Vineyards NV Blanc de Blanc
Martha Clara Vineyards, best known in these parts for having a bevy of large- and small-scale wine events, is really coming on. And by that I mean that their wines are improving with each released vintage. When I first starting covering the region several years ago, their portfolio was firmly entrenched as one aimed at the white zinfandel set — not fine wine lovers. Standby wines like the sweet, Beagle-labeled rose are still the top sellers, but further down the tasting sheet you’ll find some much better, refined, and delicious wines. Yes, the tasting room still overflows with new wine…
WTN: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2004 Estate Merlot
Shinn Estate Vineyards, still a relative newcomer to the Long Island wine scene, gets a ton of press for its "green" vineyard practices and its owners’ pedigree as Manhattan restaurateurs. I’ve written about them several times here on LENNDEVOURS and elsewhere. And yes, it’s true that David Page and Barbara Shinn employ several progressive sustainable and near-organic farming techniques in their North Fork vineyard. Their Greenwich Village restaurant, Home, is also a successful exhibition of local, seasonal food and wine. But it’s important not to forget about the fermented grape juice they bottle and stop with a cork. Their wines…
WTN: Kinkead Ridge 2004 Cabernet Franc
As someone who was born and raised in western Pennsylvania, four things come to mind when I think about neighboring Ohio: Bad drivers Sea World Cedar Point amusement park The much-hated Cleveland Browns. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I was raised to loathe our neighbors to the west, but they definitely weren’t looked upon fondly. Now, after tasting the wines of Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery, there is at least one thing I can say that I love about the Buckeye State. Located just outside of Ripley, Ohio, Kinkead Ridge Winery grows only vinifera grapes in their…
Thinking About Rating/Scoring/Grading Systems
This blog is almost three years old, and over those thousand or so days I’ve often waffled and wavered on using scoring/grading/rating systems when reviewing wine. I’ve never considered using the 100-point scale because, frankly, I’m not sure that I can discern a 90-point wine from a 91-point one. And, I don’t think very many of you, my readers, can either. For quite a while, I used the A through F, but I found it very limiting — to the point that I found myself grading wines as a C+/B- which I guess is either a C++ or a B–.…
Will Lenn Be the Biggest Loser?
It seems that most everyone says they are going to lose weight at the beginning of every year, but I know that I rarely follow through with it. But this year, I’m going to try to be the biggest loser. I have to admit that I’ve never watched the TV show "The Biggest Loser" but starting Monday I’ll be taking part in a local version with several of the teachers (with some spouses sprinkled in) at Nena’s school. For the next 16 weeks I’ll have to weigh in once a week and report back to my team and to the…
Decanting the Family Through the Holidays (by Christopher Watkins)
Decanting the Family Through the HolidaysBy Christopher Watkins They pour through the door with all the wild aggression of a blood-crimson Cabernet cascading past the thin lips of a glistening and primed fine decanter, landing at our table— voices splashing and breaking— just as wine does on the bubble at the base of a decanter’s fragrant belly. With time, these sharp components settle soft into the whole, down the sides of our chairs, into the warmth of a waiting meal— camaraderie and community— and the night takes on the smooth, even-bodied integration of a perfectly aged blend— a…
Introducing Christopher Watkins, LENNDEVOURS’ Poet Laureate
It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to LENNDEVOURS’ newest contributor, and first poet laureate, Christopher Watkins. Chris is a poet and songwriter. His chapbook "Short Houses With Wide Porches" is forthcoming from Shady Lane Press, the publishing arm of The Kerouac Project. His poems are appearing or have appeared in The George Washington Review, Euphony, Talking River, Red Rock Review, and the anthology In Our Own Words: A Generation Defining Itself (MWE Press), among others. He was the Fall 2006 writer-in-residence at The Jack Kerouac Writer-in-Residence Project of Orlando. As a songwriter, he has released five albums…
Long Island Wines in the Blogosphere
You have probably noticed already, but Long Island wines have made their way onto a few other blogs of late. Just before Xmas, Eric Asimov from the New York Times wrote about The Grapes of Roth 2001 Merlot on his blog, The Pour. Eric is clearly a fan of Long Island wines, making him one of the first prominent wine writers to wake up. The Wine Cask Blog, long one of my favorites, has also been reviewing the Lenz Winery portfolio of late, including: Lenz Winery 2000 Cuvee Sparkling Lenz Winery 2001 Old Vines Merlot Lenz Winery 2004 Old Vines…